Children Hunters
by GingaHour
Summary: The Irregular Hunters employ two child-frame reploids: Rock and Roll. X gains two fans, Zero reassesses his sketchy origins, and Axl is on a ghost hunt. Classic/X crossover.
1. Prologue

Liberties were taken considering the lacking source material about certain details pertaining to everyday life in 21XX. Please feel free to correct me if any grievous errors were made.

This is a very lax kind of work. Plot may be somewhat sparse in favor of scenes related to character interaction. Apologies.

* * *

It wasn't a very auspicious day when two dusty child units came into Irregular Hunter HQ asking for jobs. This happened sometimes; when reploids couldn't get jobs elsewhere, they turned to the Hunters as a last resort. (Life expectancy in their line of work wasn't very long, after all. Except for some specialty units, most moved around in a rotation through deskwork and fieldwork; whichever needed help more at the time. Not many survived the fieldwork rotation.) Their patched, faded clothes spoke more of their desperate situation than their cheerful, unyielding faces, and they were signed on under the stipulation that they were not separated.

Not that anyone would have had the heart to do so otherwise. Not when the two held hands tightly and stared nervously into the reploid resource manager's face like that.

(Rumor was, their interviewer left the room crying. Child units always pulled a little on people's heartstrings. Useless attachments carried over from their human counterparts, more useful to the organics for proliferation of their species.)

One child had a set of armor curiously similar in shade to Rockman X's and a buster weapon, while the other proffered a very… sturdy broom. Trying very hard not to grin too obviously, Douglass offered to situate the child with a beam saber and a teacher. The two assured that they would both have armor by some time the next week.

One room assignment and two signed contracts later, the reploid siblings Rock and Roll were officially Irregular Hunters.

No one noticed the extra tenants snuck into their room until much later.


	2. Chapter 1

It doesn't take a genius to figure out the two newest children Hunters are fans of X.

And perhaps a little on the stalkerish side.

"They're staring at you, X." Axl jibes, grinning. "Shouldn't you wave at them or offer signatures or something? They're just going to keep it up if you don't do something about it."

X, eight plus decades veteran of fame from his unique status and position, sighs into his monitor screen. By some strike of fate, he and Axl are on navigator duty for once, meaning Axl has little better to do than direct his extra energy into being as much of a busybody as possible from his limited vantage point of the navigator's work table. Usually this wouldn't have been a problem – except X was something of prime gossip material lately. Concerning the two new additions to the Hunters anyways.

In an attempt to bring the other's attention back to focus, X interjects, "Axl, don't you have work to be doing? We may not be on the field, but this is – "

"Important work too, I know." The young reploid huffs, spinning idly in his chair. "But it's so booorrrring…. I don't know how Alia and the others stand it. They do this almost _all_ the time. I'd go nuts!" A pause. "And hey! You didn't answer my question at all, X!"

Ah, he was caught. X coughs and turns back to his monitor, attempting to look busy. "In my experience, it's best to leave such things be. If they wish to act on their… feelings, they will. In the meantime, I'd rather not encourage their behavior."

Axl pouts. "For such a nice guy, you're such a hardass about these things – ow!" The reploid recoils, hands over his helmet.

X leans back, calmly shaking off the hand he'd used to … reprimand the other reploid with. "Language, Axl." A moment of consideration, and X adds, "And get back to work."

"Yes, Mother – ack, hey! Stop, this is abuse!"

-ooo-

He has a bit too much free time in between wars, Zero laments. Not that it's a bad thing – not having wars, that is – but it also meant that he was assigned extra duties, like training newbies.

Newbies who knew more of his reputation than Zero himself.

"You need to go at your swings with the intention of hitting a point somewhere beyond the target. Our goal is to cut through them, not whack them with the beam saber." Zero lectures, trying his best to fix the child reploid's – Roll, the female unit – form without actually physically touching his student.

"I understand," Roll replies, then flinches away from Zero's touch when he moves to shift her arm. "Sorry." She adds, sounding unapologetic. Sounding very unemotional, actually, as if she's attempting to repress all her emotions rather than just her fear of Zero.

Zero sighs, moving back. "Would you prefer that we find you another teacher? There are many other saber specialists than me, after all." Maybe none as experienced, but the child isn't a master saber user. She doesn't need him specifically for something like the basics.

Roll looks ready to accept Zero's offer, before her eyes stray to her sibling unit, sitting on the other side of the training room. The other child smiles encouragingly at her from his position on the sidelines. (The reploid – Rock – has an extraordinary amount of skill with his buster already. More sympathetic rumors circulate about how the two must have lived on a difficult side of town.) This seems to decide something for Roll, the reploid visibly steeling herself before staring Zero straight in the eye. "No, I will proceed with your tutelage. I am in your care."

Despite himself, Zero can't help but smile. The courage to overcome one's fears is something he can admire. "Alright. Let's run through this form again. Concentrate on the basic movements, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

-ooo-

"I like them," Zero says offhandedly to X, one day. "They've both definitely had some kind of prior battle experience, and they have good heads on their shoulders."

"The children, huh?" X says, surprised by Zero's comment. "I'm supposing their training is going well?" He himself hasn't had the opportunity to observe the two in any capacity – well, rather, it would be more accurate to say he's avoiding them in a sense….

"Yeah," Zero responds, sluggishly turning himself over from the lazy sprawl on X's couch. The squishy and ratty piece of furniture is absurdly comfortable. "The melee attacker – Roll. I had to retrain her out of some bad habits from using a dull physical weapon, but she picked up the rest pretty quickly. And Rock…." Zero stares directly at X. "How should I say it…. You haven't trained anyone recently, have you?"

X stares blankly, not making the connection between Zero's statements. "No? Yes? I'm in charge of training most of the new Hunters, Zero. You know this." Because of his reputation, X was a popular choice in instructors as well as an incentive point for joining the Irregular Hunters. Anything to raise those lagging employment numbers, X supposes.

Zero looks away. "You know what I mean, X. Rock. You haven't trained him before?"

"No," That, X can be sure of. Child units weren't the popular type of model for reploids, and even those who started out with such frames often upgraded within a couple years to match their peers. It'd be difficult to forget a child reploid. "Is he really that similar…?"

X has heard things. First and foremost: Rock. Rockman X. Also the shades of their armor were hard to miss.

Zero nods, eyes far away in thought. "Yeah. It's almost eerie. He's really good, that kid." He frowns, then adds. "They're scared of me."

X's mouth tightens. "Zero…."

Zero's eyes flick towards X, "Roll almost had to switch instructors, she was so jumpy around me. I can't help but wonder if I'd met them before…."

"I dunno, your face is probably bad enough to scare away most newbies, you know?"

X and Zero blink as Axl shreds the tension in the room with a single comment. X can't help it. He chuckles. "Axl, I can't tell if you have the worst timing, or the best."

"The best, obviously." Axl huffs, tilting his head upwards in a theatric display of haughtiness. "I also bring offerings of pizza, so double score, yeah? You two are too gloomy. I can't take my eyes off you guys for a second, I swear."

Zero smiles. "And you're too loud. Hand over the pizza, and maybe I'll withhold the comment about your maturity."

"You just try it, old man." Axl snaps back, grinning. "I've got _Hawaiian_."

"And I retract my previous statement, Master Axl."

Axl laughs. "I thought so."

* * *

By official sources, Zero wasn't active in the Classic era, but it's always fun to speculate. Roll using blunt weapons is reference to Rockman Rockman (Megaman Powered Up in the English release) and the fighting games she's appeared in with her broom.


	3. Chapter 2

To be entirely honest, X isn't comfortable with the idea of letting children units fight. While the laws concerning the employment of human children – especially in military type fields – does not apply to reploids, people are bound to look unfavorably at the sight of such young looking units on the battlefield. X knows it's pointless to feel protective of the two siblings just because they happen to resemble young humans, but it's… hard.

(Sometimes it's a pain to be as human as he is.)

X is in charge of them on their first field run. It's an emergency response to an Irregular attack too close to downtown. X's company is called in on the worst day possible – with most members deployed out with other groups, the 17th goes in with the bare bones and the new recruits. X is just thankful that it's not a major attack, but rather one acted upon with great prejudice in response to how close it is to a more populous part of the city.

It gives him a bit of leeway to reorganize his unit without having to worry too much about casualties.

As such, X ends up in a good position to watch the child units in action. He's seen some of their training run through recordings, but it's not quite the same as direct observation. He notices first their disorganization – the two aren't used to working in large groups, that much X can tell. They're a little skittish, as though worried about the others around them. The blue one – Rock – in particular maneuvers around so that he's always the focus of the Irregular's attention. Rather than the more experienced members of the 17th Unit. Rather like what X does.

Roll, outfitted in red armor, attacks with moves straight out of a textbook. Less fluid and more… precise. She follows up Rock's attention grabbing maneuvers with her beam saber, their movements synchronized to the point of seeming mechanical. They're a good combo, X decides, but not much for team play. Perhaps he'll look into setting them up for individual missions.

One of the senior members of X's team lands the finishing blow on an exposed generator, and the Irregular slumps to the ground, offline.

X smiles grimly. "Good work, everyone. Remember to stay a distance away from the Irregular until clean up can come and – "

The Irregular's body shudders, and X can see the slight glow of the mechaniloid's power generator turning an alarming shade of red. _Shit_. X starts dashing towards the Irregular before he even finishes shouting his warning. "Everyone, get away – it's about to – "

"X!"

The Irregular's generator overloads and explodes in a destructive display of power.

X's vision fades white, then black in a cascading torrent of damage reports.

-ooo-

There's a request ping awaiting X when he wakes up. He answers it without thinking.

"You know, rushing headfirst into exploding objects is _my_ shtick." Zero says immediately.

X blinks stupidly up at the ceiling of the repair bay before focusing his eyes on a relieved Zero standing at his bedside. "Axl is a terrible influence on you. What kind of slang is _'shtick'_?" X comments, sitting up slowly. It always takes a moment for him to accumulate to repair parts. Or it did usually. X actually frowns in confusion when the inevitable requests for part reassignment don't come. Huh. Maybe he wasn't as badly injured as he thought he was?

"I learned that one on my own, thanks." Zero responds dryly. He readies a stabilizing hand, familiarly acquainted with the disorientation accompanying part replacements. "I can't believe how reckless you were, X. Running _towards_ the exploding Irregular. Really."

"Don't you dare lecture me, you darned hypocrite." X huffs, in strangely good humor. "And don't worry. I'm fine. I'm guessing Lifesaver did a very good job, or I wasn't so badly hur – what's that look you're giving me, Zero?"

"I'm not making a face." Zero replies, straightening his expression. "I was just… surprised. You were in a bad way, X. We were really worried for a while there, you know." The reploid looks away, hands automatically coming around to grip X's shoulders.

X pats Zero's forearms reassuringly. "Sorry." He says, appropriately contrite for causing his friend so much distress. "I took the situation too lightly, considering it was a single mechaniloid. I'll let this be a lesson, yeah?"

Zero nods. "Make sure to burn it into your processor then." He then brightens, punching X's arm. "And be sure to thank Rock later too. The kid pulled off some miraculous field repairs on you to keep you alive. Apparently he used to work as some engineer's lab assistant."

X is distracted from complaining about Zero's jab, as the reploid probably meant it to be, the wily jerk. "Rock? Speaking of, how is the rest of my team? Are they – "

"They're fine," A Lifesaver cuts in, striding into the room. "It's good to see you finally awake, Commander X. How are you feeling?"

"I'm glad to hear that." X nods, greeting the medic. "And I'm good. Very well, actually." X adds.

Lifesaver hums. "I see." He hesitates.

"He ripped Rock a new one for trying to fix you," Zero interjects. "Something about proper procedure." The reploid slowly edges behind X as he says this, avoiding Lifesaver's gaze. X swallows a grin at his friend's expense.

"And I've recommended him to join the medical unit. Unauthorized as he is now, it'd be a waste of his talents." Lifesaver intones. "I've heard you are in charge of their assignment, Commander X. Please take my words into consideration for the twins' placement."

Popular everywhere, these children. X nods. "I'll think on it."

-ooo-

For a pair of children who had just about near stalked him a few days before, Rock and Roll are suspiciously absent when X reemerges from the medical wing. X has a few days off before he can return to work so he has no power to call on the two of them in any official manner, but he wants to at least express his gratitude to Rock and check in on their status. It must have been frightening to see someone get so grievously injured on their first field run.

"Rock and Roll?" Alia asks, blinking. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen either of them. They have the next few days off, same as you, X. I can check if they're still in the building, but I can't help you beyond that, I'm afraid."

"I see…." X frowns. "It's strange. I've seen them around so often that it's worrying now that I can't find them in my peripheral every few hours." Not the healthiest thing to get used to.

Alia laughs. "The two of them were practically starry eyed when they were told they were assigned to you." Her smile takes on the same edge Axl's does when exchanging gossip (the navigator claims she's not into such frivolities, but it's hard not to be interested when it's a part of her job description). "Axl's been regaling your heroics to them in great detail. I think he's flattered by their attention."

X sighs. Of course.

Alia pats his arm. "You're in luck. They're somewhere in the building. Try asking Axl. He might know where they are."

That's one good piece of news. "Alright. Thanks, Alia."

-ooo-

"You wanted to see us, C-commander X?" Rock asks, fidgeting nervously, X's formal title awkward on his tongue. Roll stands right behind her brother, watching X's actions with a careful eye, probably ready to take her brother and bolt if need be. X frowns. Just what had he done to scare them so terribly?

"I just wanted to check in with the two of you to see if you were both alright. I must have given you guys quite a scare, huh?" X grins wryly. He watches his tone, keeping it soft. Nonthreatening. That recommendation for Rock and Roll in the medical wing sounds better every minute. They're too… unsuited for scary things like battle. "And I wanted to thank you, Rock. I heard you helped in my repair."

Rock stares. "You're not… mad?"

X blinks. "Should I be? If you're worried about Lifesaver's reaction," he adds, the thought occurring to him, "Don't mind it. He gave me a commendation and a request that you be assigned under him instead." X grins. "You've made quite the impression."

"Oh," Rock says, the tension starting to dribble out of him. "Is… that all?"

Roll looks relieved too. What were they expecting?

"Just what kind of horror stories has Axl been telling the two of you?" X huffs, absently ruffling Rock's hair. "Ah, sorry." The kid was just at the right height for that kind of thing – and one of the few reploids who went around base not wearing full armor. A strange child. Roll too.

Except Rock actually leans in to X's hand for a moment there. He seems to realize it quickly, flushing and backpedaling a bit. "Ah, no that's fine!" The child smiles shyly, "Someone else I know does… did the same thing."

X winces at the tense change. A recent loss? "I… see. I hope I didn't bring up anything unwanted."

Rock shakes his head. "No, not at all. Anyways, thank you C-commander X – "

"Just X," X smiles. "We're both off duty, after all." He nods his head at Roll as well. "You too, Roll. Feel free to call me X."

The two trade looks before breaking out into ecstatic, identical grins. "Thank you, X!"

Ah, X reflects belatedly, hopefully he hasn't made their hero worship thing any worse.

-ooo-

After that, strange… happenings can be found all over HQ.

Little fixes on the janitorial 'bot that glitched out on the fifth floor that helped it move more smoothly, the one screen at the navigator's desk that just didn't work as nicely as the others suddenly had the brightest display, the electric oven in the commons is working like new. All little things that the mechanics had never gotten around to because they were low priority were being silently, neatly patched up and fixed.

And it isn't just the mechanical items. Many of the common living areas _sparkle_ , with how clean they are. Not a speck of dust, not a track of mud to be found. The irremovable oil stain in the carpet in the dorm hallway is magically vanquished. Build up of years of grime is wiped clean off the training room floors, and the equipment is polished to a shine. The few laundry items put out for washing are laundered, folded, and holes carefully mended.

Most are baffled at what they find. Did they recently hire more housekeeping staff? Did tech get a pay raise?

Zero, slightly paranoid, gets a look at the security tapes and then refuses to tell anyone. He keeps smiling, though, so X assumes it's not anything worth worrying about, but the way his partner keeps grinning gets unsettling after a while.

"What is it?" X finally asks, whipping his head around to find Zero hurriedly shifting his gaze guiltily to avoid eye contact. "Zero, you keep smiling whenever you look at me or one of the newly repaired or cleaned items. Is there something I should be aware of?"

Zero laughs. Laughs. "No, just know that the incidences of these things go up whenever you have training days. Just so you know."

Training – ? X stares after the other reploid, bewildered. Is this an insinuation that this has something to do with X's unit? But most of the reploids in X's unit are. Well. X isn't even sure if anyone _knows_ how to rewire a toaster, much less an electrical oven. And he's never seen anyone take the initiative to clean their practice equipment, much less the entire set of them.

Except. Rock was the one who did emergency repairs on X, wasn't he? Both he and Roll have been assigned all over the place recently, after they found out about Rock's knack for repairs. Since the sibling units asked to be assigned to their positions together, they've been scrambling a bit to find a non-combat duty for Roll. The reploid wasn't as attuned for repairs like Rock was, but she was fairly knowledgeable of human systems and health maintenance. Pretty good with navigation duties and network management as a whole too. There are a lot of places to put the two, but X wants them to try things out for themselves.

So despite being placed under X's command, the only time he ever really sees the two is during training.

Training….

X frowns. No way, right?

-ooo-

Somehow, someway or another, it becomes ritual to ruffle the tops of Rock and Roll's heads as praise.

X doesn't mean for it to happen, and feels slightly embarrassed about treating the two as actual children, but it's. Hard not to. Rock and Roll have the kind of _feel_ to them, where it's harder to remember that their physical age isn't their actual age. Not that they're immature – far from it – but they have a naïveté to them. Or something.

Guilty shame flares up in X's gut when he feels relief over the fact that he can place the two on duties outside of battle. It feels too much like favoritism, even if the two have proven themselves to be more useful in other areas.

Pushing the thought from his mind, X places his palms over Rock and Roll's helmeted heads, and bites down on a grin at their excitable faces. The two are just so easy to please. X sighs. "Rock, Roll, I wanted to ask the two of you something." He says, kneeling down to their eye level.

The pair blink. "Okay." Rock replies. "What about?"

"Well, two things." X amends. "First, what do you think of the duties you two have been rotated through the past week? Did any stick out to the two of you in particular?" The easier talk first. He still doesn't know how to pose the second question.

Rock and Roll share a look. It's Roll who answers first. "I think I would like to work with the medical department. While I'm not as good as Rock in repairs, I'd…." The child looks away and shuffles her feet. "I'd like to learn." She finishes quietly. Roll's eyes flick to X and down again.

X watches the reaction carefully, thinking. As suspected, he really did give these two a scare that first mission. He pats Roll's head reassuringly. "I'll talk to Lifesaver about that. Training is not a problem to set up. I'm sure Medical will be happy for the help." X turns to Rock. "And you?"

"Can – may I work with Mr. Douglass and Pallette?" Rock blurts out. "I know it wasn't part of our rotation, but I think I'd… like to work with the Research and Development lab."

X frowns. "You do realize that like this, the two of you will be split up? The two do not have the same duties, though it may overlap in some cases. Are you two okay with that?"

The pair nod in unison. "Yes. And," Roll continues, "We thought that maybe, as long as we're in the same area, we'll be okay."

X looks down to see that their hand have linked up again. He nods, understanding this is an important step for their personal growth as well. "Alright. I'll talk to the department heads about your reassignments."

The two smile.

"And uh, as for my second question," X coughs, mind switching gears from their previously serious conversation, "I was wondering if uh," He looks away, his own words sounding ridiculous as they come out of his mouth, "If the two of you have had anything to do with the repairs and cleaning around the base…?"

Rock and Roll slowly turn to look towards each other. "Oh, you noticed…?" Rock laughs sheepishly. "Roll and I used to take care of our home like this too." The reploid continues, eyes far away. "So we kind of… got into our old habits, I guess. We're sorry if it's a bother." Rock adds, nervous. Roll bites her lip, nodding vigorously in agreement.

X feels like he's just heard something very sad. "Ah, no. Don't worry about it. I think everyone is actually very pleased. I was just worried you two were uh. Wearing yourselves out?" X pauses. "HQ is much larger than a single home. Don't go overboard. Also, maybe you two can check in with the housekeeping and maintenance staff? Just so we don't have people going to do a task you two have already done."

Rock and Roll's eyes look one step away from fully sparkling. "Yessir!" They salute cheerfully.

X takes a moment to step aside and hide his face. Cute things weren't good for his heart. Internal fluid pump.

* * *

X didn't get to interact with Rock and Roll directly last chapter, here we go. Not a lot of plot here, strangely. Next few chapters will start getting into... a start of something.

Since this story is supposed to be a set of vignettes, I considered cutting this chapter in half, but the flow was strange, so. Every time I write something it keeps getting longer...


	4. Chapter 3

There are rumors that if you walk past a certain hallway on the fourth level of the dorms, you can hear the screeching of metal and the cries of dead reploids who used to bunk there.

It's a ridiculous rumor, especially considering it's only started up within the past couple of weeks – surely something with a longer history would seem more legit. Maybe even something started soon after a war. Not years after it.

Nonetheless, Axl takes it as a personal mission to scout out the source of these stories. Maybe it'd be a hunter with too much time on their hands. Maybe there's a loose panel the infamous twin duo haven't gotten around to streamlining yet. (The two do all of their tasks with such mechanical precision it's _uncanny_. Even in a reploid.) Maybe there really are ghosts –

Axl freezes at the buzzing sound of an electrical zap. It was only for a moment, but he's certain he's heard it. His memory banks don't lie.

 _There's something here_.

Nervous now, Axl clutches his powered down pistol (set at "stun" instead of "blow a hole through") and crouches. How exactly does one fight a ghost? Maybe they're weak against talismans? Axl doesn't have any on him. Light? No, that was some other supernatural creature. Silver? No –

A loud groan echoes across the hall, and Axl hops into the air, hovering mechanisms firing on auto. Okay, that he _definitely_ did not mishear. The rumors are true. There are _ghosts_ –

"Axl?"

Later, Axl will deny screaming and double jumping his way to headbutt the ceiling. But he does. "R-R-Rock!" Axl cries, recognizing the reploid. He drops to the ground and leans down to clutch at the smaller reploid's shoulders. "You scared me! Jeez, I thought you were a – " Axl stops, realizing the danger to his reputation. "I mean, I was scouting the area for _rumors_ of a ghost, so I thought you were the perpetrator acting as one." Yeah.

Rock blinks, the backlighting to his eyes glowing eerily in the low light of after hours Irregular Hunter HQ. "A ghost? Why? Were the dorms built over a cemetery – mmph."

"Aw, don't _say_ that!" Axl shushes the reploid, a hand pressing against the other's mouth as a physical deterrent. "There's nothing like _that_. It's just people have been hearing strange noises come from down here, you know?" He sighs. "And I think I heard something just now too. Did you hear anything, Rock?"

The smaller reploid goes very still under Axl's hands.

Axl grimaces. Oh no. That's basically a red flag for this kind of thing. "So you have, huh?" Straightening up, Axl sets his weapons to a more deadly setting. "Don't worry. I'll bust these ghosts outta here." He declares, absolutely no plan in mind. He should have watched more ghost movies.

"Uhm, Axl, what kind of noises?" Rock asks.

Axl frowns. "Well, kind of like electrical zapping? And moaning. Rumor has it that they're the spirits of dead Hunters gone Irregular." He shudders. What, did these ghosts think he, X, Zero, and the other Hunters weren't doing a good enough job? He'd get their revenge tenfold even without the haunting, thank you very much!

"I don't think those are ghosts, Axl." Rock says, tone firm.

Axl pauses. "R-right! 'Cause ghosts don't exist." He agrees, feeling silly. Ah geez, how is it that someone who looks younger than him can sound so much older? "So it might be – "

"Well, I wouldn't say ghosts _don't_ exist." Rock adds. "But these sounds are definitely not from a ghost."

The way the child unit said that. It sounded like experience. Axl shudders. "H-how can you tell?" He asks, grimacing at his stutter. He's gonna look _so_ uncool in front of Rock like this.

Rock looks at Axl blankly. "I just know." There is no other explanation forthcoming.

"Uh, right." So no ghosts, right? Axl sighs and puts his pistols away. "So I'm guessing there's nothing to do about this? I wonder if it's a loose panel somewhere." Though he doubts it. There's _no way_ to mistake that groan for something else.

"I'll fix it." Rock volunteers. "Don't worry about it, Axl."

Maybe he'd come back to reexamine the area after Rock fixed things up then. It'd definitely rule some stuff out. "Alright. Thanks." Axl frowns. "Actually, what are you doing here at this time of the night? You should go recharge if you wanna work tomorrow. Er. Today."

Rock smiles. "And I can say the same to you, Axl." The child points to a door behind him. "And this is our room. You were making a lot of noise out here."

Oh. Axl flushes. "Ah, sorry about that. I'll leave you to it then. See you in the morning, Rock."

"Goodnight, Axl." Rock waves back, and disappears behind the door.

Axl pauses on his way back to his own room. Considering the trajectory of the sound, weren't the strange noises coming from Rock and Roll's room…? …Nah. Like those two would ever leave anything unrepaired in their own living space.

Maybe they're housing the rumored ghost. It would explain Rock's familiari – no. Stop. He'd never get to recharge, keyed up like this. Axl puts the thought at the back of his mind.

* * *

Slight reference to Gigamix there aha - not that Rock would have seen a ghost directly, but uh. He's heard things.


	5. Chapter 4

Irregular Hunters earn a meager salary: most of their "pay" comes in the form of housing and amenities.

Which is a good enough deal for most, but it makes personal budgeting something of a nightmare.

Zero saves his money simply because he has a savings account. He's not a very frivolous person, and he rarely wants for anything the Hunters don't already provide. Even his room is utilitarian, filled with only the basic amenities and few personal knickknacks.

It's because of this that he is confident in his wallet's condition when he agrees to pay off the credit for whatever mechanical parts Rock needs for a personal project.

"Thank you, Commander Zero." Rock intones gratefully.

"Zero is fine." Zero grunts, holding the package Rock had been dragging back to HQ. "Don't worry about paying it back or anything," Zero adds before the child unit can open his mouth. "I don't care enough about money to need it. Instead, why don't you tell me what this is all for?"

Rock's face pinches off, expression closing on him for a second before seemingly resetting to a neutral smile. "It's a surprise." Rock replies blandly. "I promise we – er, I'll explain everything when I finish."

Zero frowns. "You're terrible at lying, just so you know." Just like X. The two are uncannily similar.

Rock's smile turns warmer. "I know. Roll always tells me that." He pauses and adds, "The project is…. I'm fixing up a few… things. Including an old project of my father's. He's very dear to me."

There's a weight in the words Zero wasn't expecting. He swallows thickly, inexplicably uncomfortable with whatever Rock has entrusted to him. "I see." Zero says in lieu of actual words. He chances a short glance at the reploid plodding beside him. This is one of the moments where Zero is certain that Rock and Roll have at least decades of function behind them.

But moreover. "…Father, huh?" It isn't very hard to tell that Rock and Roll are custom reploids – especially with their child-like frames – but this is the first Zero has heard about their creator.

Rock nods, his visual point of focus farther than the ground he stares at. "He died many years ago, and not many remember him anymore, but Roll and I try to keep his memory alive."

Zero nods, uncertain how to respond. He fumbles for words. "If… if you need anything I can help you with, don't hesitate to ask."

Rock's answering smile is blinding. "Thank you, Zero."

-ooo-

X does not expect to find Roll going over saber forms with Layer in the training rooms – especially after being assigned to a non combat role – but he does.

The two reploids are swinging through some of the basic forms and movements, and X reflects that Layer is probably a very good choice in instructor after Zero, considering the two share very similar styles (Layer having based her swordsmanship after Zero). X concedes to watching them, studying how Roll adapts to Layer's movements – too closely. The smaller reploid trips up on instances where her instructor's longer reach determines the stance, which is. Interesting.

X has known that of the two, Roll is the one with less practical experience in battle. It's obvious in their movements: Rock's forms are very smooth, with no extraneous movements. Very conservative. Roll moves according to the book: professional, no step missed or bridged over. It makes her forms beautiful, with great body balance, but not always useful or even practical. It occurs to X now that Roll has been literally copying her instructors – down to their breathing pattern and small tics that deviate from the intended form.

Layer seems to notice this too, as she stops and asks Roll to go over the forms by herself. Roll does, using the textbook movements she used to, but now with something… extra. A combination of Layer's form with the original.

X blinks. That fast? He doesn't know how long Layer has been coaching Roll, but reploids, like humans, needed some time to process newly learned material. For Roll to apply the movements she just learned from Layer into the forms – it's uncanny.

"Roll, are you applying movement data?" Layer asks suddenly, and X freezes.

That's not something reploids can use. They can download the information and review animation files, but to apply them directly to one's body is… unimaginable. That's not something viable for reploids, who learn skills like humans do: through manual accumulation of data rather than application of existing programs.

Roll blinks at her instructor, "What?" She looks to Layer, then X, and frowns. "I – "

"Roll!" Rock calls, bounding into the training room. "There you are! I wanted to show you somethi – oh X. Miss Layer." The child bows politely, caught left footed and awkward at the unexpected company. "Sorry. I didn't realize you guys were busy." Rock apologizes, smile lopsided and wobbly.

He looks anxious, X notes.

"No, not at all." Layer responds, nodding back in greeting. "We were done for the day anyways. Roll, if you need any more help, I'll be more than happy to instruct you."

"Thank you for your time, Miss Layer." Roll responds, bowing deeply. "If I may be dismissed?"

Layer nods. "Of course. I'll see you around, Roll."

X watches as the two siblings bow politely at both him and Layer before leaving. Rock reaches almost reassuringly for his sister's hand as they go, and X wonders just what has spooked them this time.

Roll looked absolutely thankful when her brother bounded into the room and interrupted the conversation. What was she about to say?

"X," Layer starts, approaching closely. The reploid chances a look back at the training room entrance before continuing, "Roll's ability to copy others' movements: it's not like Axl where his A-trans applies the reploid's DNA to mimic abilities and habits. She needs to see the movements first before she can copy them." Layer notes.

X nods. This is the navigator's background in reploid and mechaniloid analysis coming into play. For Layer to bring the topic up – there's definitely something going on here. "When you were going over the forms with Roll, I noticed she had difficulty with the stances. I thought maybe it was because she was trying to reconfigure the forms with her stature, but considering how accurately she was replicating your movements…."

"Yes," Layer agrees, frowning. "The closest analogy I can come up with is… a programmed set of action commands for a mechaniloid, or a programmer copying and applying movement sets for another unit."

X blinks. "A mechaniloid?" Actually that. Hm. He frowns. "I've heard from Zero that Rock confirmed that he and Roll are custom units built by an independent party." X adds, trying to find the connection between the two trains of thought. There's something significant here.

"An independent party…." Layer repeats thoughtfully. "I've read an article about how early reploid developers attempted to integrate mechaniloid programming into reploids to improve their learning competency. I wonder if this is something similar."

"I remember that." X confirms. "It was before we really understood how reploid learning systems and programming worked." He pauses. "But Layer, the outcome of those reploids – "

"Most went Irregular due to incompatible programming." Layer finishes, mouth set in a grim line.

Ah. X's brows furrow. "Layer, you don't think Roll has – "

"It's simply a hypothesis, X." Layer asserts. "We don't have much else to go on but the suspicion of mechaniloid-like program use." The navigator's mouth twitches in what X assumes is a try for a comforting smile. "From what we can figure about their background, both Rock and Roll have been active for quite some years. I don't think it's folly to assume they will continue to function as they have."

"I suppose so," X agrees, somewhat reassured. "Will you keep looking into this, Layer?"

The reploid nods. "Of course. I'll keep you updated, X. Let me know if you notice anything significant." Hesitating, Layer adds, "I've worked with Roll for a few days now. She approached me saying that she wanted to continue to learn how to fight so she can protect her brother." A smile. "They're good children."

Children. X nods faintly, his thoughts far away. "They really are."

* * *

Super quick update to make up for how short the other chapter is. Updates may become slower from here on out. Of course, now that I say that, it won't. But we'll see.


	6. Chapter 5

"Hey X, your nerd show is on. Aren't you going to watch?" Axl calls, nestled cozily in X's couch. "Oh, this one is on some old 20XX tech archeological dig! It's right up your ally!"

X sighs, rubbing his face. "They're documentaries, Axl, and I can watch them later. I have reports to do, and so does Zero." He reminds the younger reploid sternly. "Rather, why are you in here? Isn't today your medical check up?"

"Exactly," Zero replies from behind his computer, having made himself comfortable in X's room for the long haul. "Since when does Axl ever make it on time to the check ups?"

"I do! Sometimes!" Axl complains without much conviction, his attention spit between the conversation and the documentary on the holo screen. "Man, that's some ugly work of architecture right there. Is that supposed to be a human skull?"

Zero nods absently. "Right." A pause. "X, do you remember _why_ we ordered all those rubber balloons?"

"Simulation," X replies promptly, flipping through reports. "I've written it down somewhere – here. I'll send my narrative copy to you."

"Thanks," Zero grunts, only his shock of hair visible over the top of his screen.

Axl laughs. "Oh man, good times. I can't believe Signas agreed to that." The reploid sighs lost in memory. "The water balloons were the best part. I won so many bets – "

"Axl," X snaps. "Please. We're trying to work."

"Sooorry. I'll keep quiet. Promise." Axl adds, hands going up in a gesture of peace at X's glare.

There's a few seconds of blessed quiet (except for the easily ignored droning of the TV). X relaxes. Maybe he'll be able to get this done and watch the documentary online before the end of the night. It's just his luck that the official TV airing is on his most busy day, but –

There's a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Axl cries, jumping up from his seat.

X sighs. Mysteries of 20XX will have to wait until tomorrow. It'll take all of his focus to get even half the reports done at this rate.

"Hi Roll!" Axl greets, X's door swung completely open to the hallway. "What's up?"

Roll, dressed in full armor and a pin designating her role as part of the medical team, nods politely at all of them in turn. "Hello Axl. Lifesaver wants you down in Medical for a check up." She grins cheerily, a broom suspiciously in hand. "I'm here to escort you. I am authorized force should you resist."

Zero snorts, and then clams up when Roll's attention turns to him. The child adds, "Commander Zero, Lifesaver also wanted me to remind you that your next check up will be in approximately a week. Please be there on time."

There's something incredibly menacing about the way the small reploid holds her cleaning tool. Zero's face disappears completely behind his computer screen.

Axl hedges further back into the room in the meanwhile, using Zero as a distraction. It's a poor choice. Roll immediately zooms in on him, like a predator on a moving target.

Axl freezes. "I. Uh. Can it wait? I'm watching uh." The reploid looks desperately to X for help.

"Mysteries of 20XX," X supplies, grinning behind his hand.

"Yeah that!" Axl agrees, jumping on the chance. "I can't miss it, you know?"

But X isn't done yet. "It'll be available on the broadcaster's website by 1900 tonight. He can catch up later." He finishes, stifling laughter at Axl's betrayed expression. "Feel free to drag him down, Roll."

Roll salutes X. "Yessir!" She advances in on her hapless victim, broom bristles first. "Lifesaver will be very disappointed if we cannot keep to schedule, Axl. Don't struggle."

As Axl makes a break for it, Zero comments, "So that's the blunt force weapon she's used to, huh?"

X blinks, tearing his eyes away from the younger reploids. "What?" Roll certainly wields the household item with _intent_ but it's hardly a weapon.

"Remember how I told you I had to train her out of old habits?" Zero says, "Like she used a dull physical weapon rather than a piercing one. I guess she must have used a broom."

X stares at Zero, then looks back at Roll, now triumphantly hogtying Axl to her weapon of choice. "Uh, right." He decides to agree. Zero's strange musing aside, X turns to address Roll. "Do you need any help, Roll?" Axl is larger than her, after all. Carting him down singlehandedly would be difficult for her stature.

Roll simply slings her makeshift rotisserie, victim and all, across a shoulder. "I'll be fine. I'll be sure to return him later."

"You can keep him." Zero suggests with feeling.

Outraged, Axl wiggles desperately against his bonds. They hold.

X is impressed despite himself. "Be careful in the halls."

Roll doesn't respond, eyes riveted on the holo TV screen.

"Roll?" X calls.

The child blinks and startles, coming back to herself. "Ah sorry. I'll be going now then. Have a good rest of the day." Roll bodes, and marches out, Axl in tow.

X and Zero stare after them bemused. "We'll finally get some peace and quiet, huh?" Zero comments, stretching his joints out. "I almost want to go down to Medical if it'll get me out of finishing these reports…."

"Don't say what you don't mean, Zero." X advises as he moves to turn the TV off.

The screen closes on a picture of a half buried chunk of curved metal: black, with an underside of gold, like the hood of a cobra.

-ooo-

As if to punish him, Lifesaver finishes with Axl almost last. It's dark by the time he's let free, and Axl shamelessly flees the repair bay, desperate to make as much distance between the medical officers as he can.

All the scans itch something fierce under his plates in a way he can't describe. Axl shudders.

But man, he's not going to go within a broom's width of Roll anytime soon. Under orders or not, the reploid's methods were _brutal_. Tying him up without leaving a single mark or dented plate – crazy.

Axl decides if he has to blame someone, it'd be X and Zero. They hadn't done a thing while he was being subdued! Absolute betrayal. There was a grudge to be repaid, yes. A few rounds of silly string surprise would do. Ooh. Maybe even as Signas –

"Bwurphl," Axl wheezes as he runs into something. Someone.

Metal clatters onto the ground, and Axl immediately goes to help pick things up. "Oh man, sorry. I wasn't looking where I was go… i…." Axl stares at the metal object he's just picked up. It's a leg. "GYAH!"

The body part goes flying through the air, and in a stunning display of athleticism, Rock jumps up to catch it before it flies past him. He lands, holding the leg piece, and he and Axl exchange startled looks. "A-Axl," Rock starts, a pile of miscellaneous limbs in his other arm, "Are you alright?" The child has no extra hands to help Axl up with.

(Or rather, he does. In his pile of limbs. Don't think, Axl.)

He gets up just fine. "I'm… I'm fine. I'm great! What are you doing with reploid body parts?" Axl asks, sentence eking out into a squeak. First the ghost, and now this. His processor can't take more of this kid.

"I'm doing some repairs." Rock says. The florescent light above the reploid casts harsh shadows across his bangs and onto his face. The child's backlighted eyes glow all the brighter for it.

Axl swallows thickly. "I… I see." He doesn't. Who's doing repairs at this time of night? The kid has the day shift. "Well, uh, I'll just be going then."

"Goodnight, Axl." Rock calls from behind him.

Axl kicks his dash into gear.

* * *

Man, Axl should have been around for when X had to cart around Zero's severed body parts. Good times.


	7. Chapter 6

Zero is up and running before he even attaches a word to the sound he's heard.

It's a wolf's howl.

His feet lead him around Hunter base, following a line of stunned and bemused looking reploids of various stages of dishevelment. It looks like a tornado's swept through the halls.

"Gospel, sit!" Zero hears Rock's voice from down the next corridor. There's more growling and howling, and the dangerous sound of grinding metal. For whatever reason, Zero can't help the flare of panic at the idea of a wolf and Rock in the same location.

His imagination keeps painting the wolf purple and Rock, hurt.

He turns on his dash boosters and skids down the last length of the hall. "Rock, are you oka – "

A large purple mechaniloid jumps at him, and Zero's thought process shuts down as he and his attacker go tumbling in a pile of sharp claws and haphazard limbs.

"Gospel, no!" Rock's voice shouts in a panic, and Zero struggles to right himself while covering his face from a dangerous set of teeth. Fangs bite into his forearm instead, and he winces as they pierce the metal of his armor.

"Why you – " Zero grits his teeth as he reaches back for his saber. He's not sure who let this Irregular into the base, but he'll make quick work of it before it hurts anyone else.

"Gospel, stop! Zero's not going to hurt you!" Rock pleads. When it doesn't work, he adds, "You're our only chance of finding Forte!" and suddenly Zero is released.

Zero blinks stupidly as he watches the purple mechaniloid flatten its ears and back away. Something about Rock's words dig at the back of his processor. Forte? Gospel? Like a word at the tip of his tongue, the names itch at a part of his mind.

He comes back to as he watches Rock put out a tentative hand to pet the mechanical wolf. "Rock, it's dangerous – "

"It's fine," Rock reassures, gently petting the top of the wolf's head. "I'm sorry you woke up so suddenly, Gospel. I wasn't going to reactivate you until later, but…."

The mechaniloid huffs, turning its head away. It glares Zero down and pads around Rock, almost as if to curl around the reploid protectively.

Zero frowns. "Rock, what is that thing?" The kid addressed it like a familiar pet, but with how strong those jaws are – there's no way the mechaniloid is some civilian pet unit. "How did it get into HQ?"

Rock bites his lip, absently scratching behind the wolf's ear. "Uhm, this is Gospel." He gestures with his free hand to the wolf, then at Zero, "Gospel, this is Zero. He's a nice person and… a friend."

Zero tries not to feel a rush of warmth at the title. He fails.

The mechaniloid stares up at Rock with what Zero would call disbelief if he could assign it an emotion. But mechaniloids aren't really capable of such things. That's a reploid's domain.

"Rock, did you catch Gospel – oh no," Roll comes into view, bemusement changing into horror at the state of Zero's arm. "Commander Zero, are you alright?" The child's hand hovers just a hair's breadth away from touching the injury. "Rock, do you have your – "

"I'm fine." Zero reassures, scooting back so he doesn't drip oil all over Roll's dress. The minute patches and faded color speaks for itself. It's a precious article of clothing for the cleanly reploid to hang on to it so long. "I'll get down to the repair bay in a bit. Don't worry."

Roll frowns, the crease between her brow tightening.

"Roll, can you take Gospel back to our room?" Rock asks, tone gentle as he kneels beside his sister. "I'll take care of Zero's repairs."

"Alright," The reploid agrees, subdued. "Come on, Gospel. Stop making so much trouble for people. You're just like your master. Really." Roll calls, halfheartedly reprimanding the mechaniloid.

Zero's eyes follow them until they disappear around the corner. "Rock," Zero starts, but the child arrests his sentence with a stern look.

"I'll explain in a bit." Rock promises. "But let's get your arm fixed up first."

Zero nods, following mutely. There's steel in those eyes, he thinks.

It reminds him of X.

-oo-

Lifesaver hovers for only the first few minutes, satisfied with Rock's repair ability. Zero thinks the reploid is still sore for missing out on having the child on his staff, if the constant glances their way is any indication.

Though that might just be because they walked in here with no explanation but a request to use materials for a quick fixer upper.

And it is incredibly quick – the way Rock patches Zero's arm up. Practiced movements replace tubes and wires, and before he realizes, the repairs are done, and Rock is awkwardly twiddling his thumbs while nanites paint over Zero's new panel of armor.

They sit in silence for a moment. Lifesaver adroitly leaves the room.

Before Zero gets a chance to open his mouth, Rock starts, "I used to have to fix my arm up a lot because of Gospel too."

This does not reassure Zero at all. "I don't know about you, Rock, but by definition, that's pretty much an Irregular." He declares. "I don't know where you guys found it, but it's best we put it down now – "

"No!" Rock cries, panic written over his face. He freezes, realizing his strange outburst. "No, I don't mean…." The reploid sighs, running a hand through his hair. Oil from Zero's repairs leaves a streak across his forehead. "I don't mean that in that sense, Zero." The child's eyes look so old, his face incredibly haggard.

Zero doesn't like it. "I'm not sure how else you expect me to interpret 'this mechaniloid used to take a chunk out of me all the time.'" Zero deadpans, hoping for a response.

Rock doesn't smile. (X would have.) "Gospel belongs… to an old friend of ours." The child explains. "We didn't always get along, so we… fought. That's all."

Zero's only known the kid for a couple months, but even he can say with confidence that violence is not the reploid's usual first response. "Fought." He repeats slowly. A word Rock used during the bout with the wolf mechaniloid comes to Zero's mind. "With Forte?"

Rock freezes.

So he's right. Zero stares the child down. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I heard, you want to find someone you didn't get along with using that Irregular?"

The reploid looks away. "I'd like to think we were friends by the end." Rock says softly.

"By the end." The phrase rings hollow in Zero's audial.

A pause.

"Sorry. I probably don't make a lot of sense to you, huh?" Rock starts, turning back to match eyes with Zero. "After Father died, we slept for a long time." He explains with a thousand-yard stare. "We've lost so much during that period. It might be futile, but I want to try and hold on to what we have left."

These kids have faced loss too, Zero thinks. A lot of people have, thanks to the wars. "How likely do you think it is? Finding that Forte person?" He asks.

Rock blinks, "Huh? Oh," He stutters, mind shifting gear. "Finding him may not be the hard part." The child admits. "Forte might be… hurt. Or even – "

Zero puts a hand on Rock's head. The kid's hair is soft. He thinks he can kind of understand X's preoccupation with patting the child units' heads. "You won't know until you try, right?"

Rock's smile is tentative, a fragile thing. "Right."


	8. Chapter 7

Roll looks incredibly… not present.

X frowns as he watches Layer and Roll in their regular bi weekly practice sessions. By this point, he might even say they're more sparring sessions, with Roll catching up in proficiency, but today their clashes seem awfully lopsided.

In a moment of distraction, Roll misses guarding against Layer's rapier. X is moving towards the two before the child hits the floor.

"Roll!" He cries, sliding down on his knees to cradle the reploid's upper body. There's a slight burn on the armor, right down the shoulder, but thankfully little else. X sighs in relief. Right. Training-use sabers. It'll sting, but severe injury was rare. Relaxing, X asks, "Are you alright?"

Roll blinks. "Yes. Sorry. I was… surprised." The child sits up, staring at the blackened paint of her armor. She turns to Layer. "I apologize. It was careless of me. Shall we start again?"

Layer frowns. "No. I think we're done for today, Roll." The navigator turned instructor sheathes her rapier, bending down to help the smaller reploid up. "You're not concentrating. Care to share what's on your mind?"

Roll flushes. "Sorry," She mutters, accepting the help up.

X stays kneeling, keeping closer to eye level with the child. "Is there something wrong, Roll?" There was a commotion a couple days ago with Zero and Rock, or so X heard. His partner hadn't been very open with the details of it, simply stating that he overreacted to something. But Zero? Overreacting? It couldn't have been a small matter.

X trusts Zero, but he hopes the reploid won't overburden himself with secrets. The reploid has no sense of self-care.

Speaking of overburdened however, Roll seems bothered as well. While not technically in charge of the children any more, X finds himself well updated on their happenings throughout HQ. He can't say he minds it. It's how he's heard from Lifesaver that Roll has been listless lately. Always preoccupied.

When the child fails to speak after a period of time, X tries, "Did something happen?"

This gets a reaction out of Roll, the child turning to look at X, surprised. "I – yes." Roll looks away again. She bites her lip. "Do you think… Commander Zero doesn't like me?"

That's not what X is expecting.

Layer's mouth flaps open in surprise before closing with an audible clack. "W-what makes you think that, Roll?" She manages out, color rising to her cheeks as ever when Zero is mentioned.

"When he was injured…" Roll starts, "Commander Zero moved away from me."

X and Layer exchange glances over the child's head. Who is going to explain Zero's social skills or lack thereof?

X awkwardly pats Roll's back. "Roll, Zero is – I'm sure that wasn't his intention. To uh, imply that he doesn't like you." He looks desperately to Layer, having run out of words.

"X is right," Layer picks up, "Zero is a mysterious person. You can't expect him to be easily understood."

Roll and X blink at the navigator, lost.

X coughs. "What Layer means, Roll, is that if Zero disliked you, he would be more obvious about it. He's not that difficult a person. Really." Social complexity was definitely not Zero's strong point.

Roll nods, facing the ground, refusing to make eye contact with X.

X sighs. What brought this on? He wasn't aware of Roll being particularly interested in keeping good rapport with Zero – they'd hardly interacted since Roll was taken off an active combat role. This can't be the entirety of the issue. "Roll, would you like me to talk with Zero? Or to talk with him directly?" X offers, watching the child carefully for a reaction.

Nip this problem in the bud. A hunter incapacitated from emotion was a dangerous variable.

Roll raises her head, startled. A direct confrontation probably hadn't crossed her mind at all. She bites her lip. "No, I – "

"What about you think about X's offer, Roll?" Layer suggests softly.

The child nods. "O-okay. I will." She steps away, turning to bow deeply at the older (looking) reploids. "Thank you, Layer, X. If I may be excused?"

Layer nods. "Come speak to me when you feel ready."

Roll nods. She bites her lip and then opens her mouth as if to add something, but shakes her head. "Have a good day." She bids, and beats a hasty escape.

X watches the reploid plod off as he straightens up. "Do you think we should be more worried?" He asks, uncertain. "From what I've heard from Zero, Roll seemed almost afraid of him in the beginning." He pauses. "Though, I don't know the nature of their relationship nowadays." Zero certainly hasn't said anything.

Layer nods sagely. "Zero occasionally misunderstands people's reactions, X." She reasons. "It may not have been fear."

X looks to the navigator. "Do you think so?" Then what could it be?

"Hm. Developmentally, Roll is at that critical stage, don't you think?" Layer muses.

X stares, lost at the non sequitur. "What?"

"She's growing up, X." Layer clarifies. "I think she'll be alright. Please let Zero know to be more sensitive to Roll in the coming days? I'm sure things will come to pass soon enough."

X blinks, still very lost. "Uhm. Right."

A talk with Zero is definitely in order. If only to try and figure out Layer's behavior as well.

-oo-

"Roll?" Rock asks, blinking. "Oh, her mood…."

X examines Rock closely, thinking of the incident involving Zero. The child may be affected as his sister. "She seems down lately. Is something going on?"

Layer may have advised X to leave well alone, but X is a habitual worrier. He flags Rock down on auto when he comes across the child in the halls and invites him for a conversation in X's office.

X vaguely feels like a counselor or overly concerned parent. He considers the idea that perhaps he is a bit too attached to the children units.

He is.

"Roll is… a little more strict on her judgment of a person." Rock says, obviously taking care to choose his words carefully. "So she's working on modifying her… relation to Zero, but she has a lot of preconceived notions to work through." The child explains. "Despite how it looks, Roll was in charge of security at home." Rock smiles wanly. "Zero looks scary so he sets her on edge, but I think Roll really does want to make friends with him." The child pauses. "But…."

"But she thinks he's rejected her already." X surmises. This makes more sense than Layer's explanation, he thinks faintly. But no, this is actually better than he's expected. Something like this – a miscommunication – can be fixed.

"X," Rock starts, "What do you think of Zero?"

X blinks. "Zero? Well," This is a question he's answered readily more times than he can count. It's been a while since the last incidence, however. "He's my trusted and oldest friend and partner." X replies. "A kind person, with more compassion than he likes to let on and a righteous heart. Though," X adds wryly, "he does have a tendency to jump before he considers the consequences. And I wish he'd try and make a few more friends." X just wanted his friend to be _happy_. Pick up a hobby. Something.

"I see…." Rock says, an undecipherable look on his face. "I'm glad you have someone so dear." The reploid says, voice exceedingly gentle. "I suppose we needn't have worried after all."

"What?" X starts, caught off-guard.

Rock shakes his head, laughing sheepishly and rubbing his neck. "Ah, it's nothing!" The child declares, cheer brought back full force. "I think Zero is a good person too. He's very kind." Rock nods, satisfied with his assessment. He stands up, brushing his lap off of imaginary dust. "I need to get back now," The child says, expression apologetic. "I've left some things half-done – it'll be no good if I don't finish them by today."

"That's fine," X smiles. "I'll see you around, Rock."

The child bows politely and leaves the room, closing the door neatly behind him.

X sighs. For a moment, he thought Rock sounded terribly familiar. For just a moment, X half expected to hear a deeper, older, more tired voice.

Turning to look at one of the framed photographs on his desk, X rubs at the bridge of his nose. "I must be going nuts, thinking Rock sounded like Dr. Light."

Dr, Light smiles awkwardly back at him from the confines of a framed, grainy newspaper clipping, no reassurance forthcoming.

"Definitely." X agrees.


	9. Chapter 8

" – So it's like half past midnight, and I'm walking through the dorms, you know?" Axl narrates, arms akimbo in grand gestures to go along with his story, "And I hear this ghastly moan echo through the hall, all, 'You let us diiieeeeeee – '"

Zero grimaces. It sounds like one of his usual nightmares. "You sure you weren't dreaming, Axl?" He asks, crossing his arms. "And besides, what does this have to do with Rock? Or Roll?"

"I'm getting to it!" Axl declares, pouting. "It's right after I hear this stuff that Rock pops out right behind me!" The reploid cries, hands held above his head to demonstrate story-Rock's method of 'popping-out'. "Scared the bejeezus out of me! I mean at first he was all casual, 'Hey, Axl,' and, 'What kind of noises?' But then when I mention ghosts, Rock says, 'Those aren't ghosts.' And when I ask him how he knows, he's just ' _I just know_.'" Axl shivers.

Zero does his best to suppress his own. Arugh. Axl really knows how to set an atmosphere.

"Axl, don't tell me you believe in ghosts?" X says, watching the whole display with a bemused air. "You've been watching too many movies recently." He scolds.

"I have not!" Axl denies on auto, then amends, "Well, a little. In the name of research!" He adds. "Just so I know what to do when I come across one. If I do."

It's a losing battle. Zero grins and pats Axl across the head. "Give it up, Axl. X is right. Don't you think you have a little too much free time if you have nothing better to do than watch ghost movies…?"

"Ah, er, well." Axl doesn't meet Zero's eyes.

X does. A grin of mutual understanding passes between them. "Maybe you need something to keep you occupied, Axl?" X asks, voice casual. Too casual.

Zero bites down on a smile. "I can think of a whole lot of things that need to get done, X." He adds, watching Axl stiffen in his peripheral. "Alia did say something about needing people to help train the newbies with navigation…."

X nods sagely, expertly ignoring Axl's increasingly panicked looking expression. "I think Signas always has a backlog of paperwork he needs help with, too – "

"Whoa man, would you look at the time?" Axl blurts loudly, interrupting the conversation. "I need to get back to my room! To recharge! I'll see you two in the morning bye – "

The reploid is gone before Zero or X can get a word in edgewise.

X snorts. "That was even faster than usual."

"Why can't he haul his butt that fast during missions?" Zero adds, wryly. "Can you imagine the mission time records he'd set?"

X laughs. "It's something to consider. Chase him around with paperwork when he starts dawdling."

Zero smirks. "I'll keep it in mind."

-ooo-

He's safe absolutely nowhere.

Axl taps out a short sequence of rhythms on his forearms to keep from jogging through the hallways. It's been too quiet around town, with few proper missions to keep him busy. It's gotta be why he keeps feeling so agitated.

And why Rock makes him feel so… jumpy.

Axl keeps running into the reploid wherever he goes. In the dorms, in the break room, heck, he's seen the kid while exiting the simulation rooms! Rock doesn't even do battle exercises, considering he's part of the few departments strictly set for support.

He just can't look the child-type in the face anymore. Not after consecutive late night viewings of child based horror movies. With the weird noises and severed body parts and – eurgh! Oh man, he can't do it. For all Axl knows, Rock is going to do that 180 degree head spin next, and he really can't be held responsible if he accidentally shoots the kid.

Axl sighs. There's only so many runs of the same simulations he can do before he goes nuts. If some major Irregular attack doesn't occur soon, he might just start one himself – his trigger finger is absolutely itching for action!

"Axl?"

"Gyah!" Axl whips around, pistol already out. "R-R-Rock!" He stutters, systems still in high gear. It takes him a moment to calm down enough to relax his stance. "Sorry. Sorry. You scared me! Where did you come from?"

The child still holds his hands up as Axl disengages his auto lock, legs slightly bent in a cautious gesture of peace. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Rock apologizes, bowing his head slightly. "I've been calling you from down the hall the entire time. I really didn't mean to, ah – " The reploid fidgets, eyes flicking off to the side before focusing on Axl's face. "Perhaps you were listening to something else?"

The kid had been calling him the entire time? Axl frowns, trying to remember if he heard anything – rather, his head had been in the clouds his entire walk. He can hardly remember getting down to the dorms at all. "Nah, I was just thinking," Axl admits, grinning sheepishly. "Did'ya need something, Rock?"

There is a strange silence for a moment while Rock stares intently at Axl. Axl's smile falters. Is there something on his face? "Rock?" He tries, waving a hand across the child's face.

Rock blinks. "Sorry," The child says immediately. He continues, "Miss Pallette asked me to find you. She wants you to try out some equipment she has developed."

Ah. Guinea pig time. "I'll head over then. R&D right?" Axl asks, feet already moving. Testing things always promised to be explosive – or interesting at the very least. It'd help with his extra energy at any rate.

Barely listening for Rock's positive answer, Axl hurries off down to the labs.

He doesn't see the child's concerned eyes following his form down the length of the hallway.

-ooo-

"X," Alia calls on X's private comm channel. "I need you to come down to the labs!" The navigator sounds breathless.

X is on his feet and speeding through the HQ in an instant. "Alia, what's going on? Are you hurt?" He asks, dash jumping over the heads of startled hunters. "Did an Irregular get into the building – "

"No, no!" Alia laughs, and X skids to a stop right before the emergency stairwell. "It's just – Rock has been helping me on my side project recently – with your armors." Alia clarifies, voice amused. "We think we've finally got something figured out, and I wanted to show you – oh, I didn't mean to scare you!" The reploid laughs.

X quietly turns red. "R-right. Sorry. I'll be down in a few. Thanks Alia."

"No problem, X." Alia responds, tone just this side of teasing. "Take your time."

"Rodger that." X sighs.

-ooo-

"…So what we needed was to replace the identification system and armor DNA printing system!" Alia finishes, Rock nodding eagerly beside the taller reploid.

X frantically searches his dusty memories for the correct scientific literature. "Wasn't the problem that the identification blueprint corrupted and we can't get an exact DNA copy from me? I believe we had an incident with Axl – "

"Actually, Rock here," Alia proudly pulls the child to the front by his shoulders, grinning widely, "Figured out a way to temporarily bypass the error so we could recode the blueprint to accept you and then reconfigure it so it would use your identification system to imprint – "

"My DNA," X finishes, blinking. "Of – of course! If we can't pull a copy of my DNA out then – "

"We can use your systems as the base!" Alia's eyes are practically sparkling. "Admittedly, even if we'd tried that before it wouldn't have worked without Rock's jerry-rigging. Dr. Light's security systems are top notch – the fact that we got through them to do this is incredible."

X smiles wanly, "Still ahead of his time, that Dr. Light. Makes me wonder when we'll ever catch up in robotics technology." And the fact that it was Rock and Alia who made this kind of progress – it never stopped catching X off guard, the fact that he worked with such amazing minds. He reaches out to ruffle Rock's hair, pride swelling through his chest.

Matching eyes with the two reploids, X grins, "You're both incredible."

Alia flushes, "Oh stop it. We're only halfway done." She chides, smiling, unable to master her expression into something sterner. "We might be able to get primary trials for refitting your armors done soon."

So stay close to base, X infers. "Let me know when you want to kidnap me for tests." He offers plainly.

"Of course," Alia nods.

"X," Rock starts, tone incredibly sober, "The issue is that using this method will leave your systems open to attack. Dr. Light left these security features in for a reason." The child doesn't quite meet his eyes as he says this, shifting from foot to foot. "I'll have to work on your coding too. So if you don't want to – "

Watching Alia's wide-eyed expression, the boy hadn't mentioned this to her either. It belatedly occurs to X that perhaps he should be suspicious about how quickly Rock figured out how to technically "hack" the armors – and even X's programming, from what the child was inferring – when the rest of the world had attempted for nearly a century without any luck. And yet.

"I'll put myself in your care, Rock." X says, leaning down to the reploid's level. "I trust you and Alia will give me a full play by play on how this is gonna work?" He adds, tone just this side of teasing.

The deflection works, Rock's shoulders loosening visibly, and the child nods. "You won't be in any danger. I promise."

There's so much conviction in the boy's words that X can't help but smile.

-ooo-

"… I didn't even realize – I was so excited that we had a work around I didn't even stop to think – " Alia rambles after they send Rock off.

X puts a placating hand on the navigator's shoulder, smiling. "It's alright, Alia. I know you didn't mean any harm."

Alia snaps her head towards him so fast, X is momentarily glad that reploids don't get whiplash. "It's never been _intent_ that caused problems, X." The ex-researcher near growls. A beat, and then, "Sorry." Alia sighs, slumping.

X squeezes the shoulder under his hand reassuringly. "I know." He offers quietly. There's a landmine here he shouldn't prod. "Nonetheless, I trust you Alia." X hesitates, and then adds, "And Rock as well."

"He's really something," Alia says at length, grin wan. "He navigates his way through the armors like he's known Dr. Light's work his whole life. I honestly don't know how we managed to miss a gem like him all these years." And here her mouth twists into a grimace. "X, was it just me or did he offer to _open up your core program_?"

The thing that absolutely _no one_ had been able to do thus far – and not for lack of trying.

X rubs the back of his neck, unsure of what to think. Instead he says, "There's just so much I feel like we don't know about Rock and Roll. We're so used to getting reploids living off the grid and without paper trails that it's hardly different that they didn't have any identification before we assigned them some. They don't seem like bad kids but I worry." X sighs, "… For them, even, rather than what they could do."

Would do.

Alia nods absently in agreement. "For the time being, I'll make sure to go over every bit with Rock before we attempt anything." She declares, solemn.

"I know you will, Alia." X says, smiling.

* * *

So uh, I just realized it's almost been a year since the last update. Oops.

Don't uh. Worry about the strange nonsense technobabble in this chapter. I have absolutely no idea what I'm saying.


	10. Chapter 9

Zero takes a few deep breaths before mechanically approaching the training room doors. As X suggested, he comes in during Roll and Layer's training sessions – the best time to catch the younger reploid without intruding on working hours.

It takes all he has to not run back out at the startled looks the two give him when they notice his presence. X nods encouragingly at him from the far wall, entirely unsubtle. Zero resists the urge to glare at him.

"Roll, may I talk to you?" Zero says, incredibly awkward.

Roll blinks, training sword still lit up in her hand. "Oh. Yes?"

(Layer, also incredibly obvious, cycles between dismay and cooing while making excessive hand gestures in X's direction. Zero determinedly does not look straight at the navigator either.)

It is, as they walk a few steps away for the semblance of privacy, then that Zero realizes he has to talk with the child with X and Layer hovering like the great busybodies they are. He'll never hear the end of this, Zero thinks, glad that at the very least Axl isn't here to witness the spectacle that is Zero's utter lack of social skills.

"Did you need something, Commander Zero?" Roll asks, when Zero is silent for too long.

"I don't dislike you." He blurts, the core of his hastily prepared speech popping out instead of his rehearsed lines. Ah. "I mean – " Zero quietly turns red as he slaps a hand to his face. "I don't know where you got the idea from, but I don't dislike you. Roll." He peeks down at the smaller reploid from between the gaps of his fingers, awaiting her response.

(Zero can hear Layer and X making exasperated noises at each other. Don't think he can't hear you guys!)

"… Thank you," Roll starts at length, a startled laugh bubbling out of her throat. "I don't dislike you either, Commander Zero." The girl says, lips upturned in the widest grin he's gotten out of her yet. "Rock thinks highly of you. Thank you for being his friend."

These two children have some kind of special ability or something, Zero thinks, trying unsuccessfully to squash down the fondness suffocating his throat. "N-no problem." He gets out, emotionally constipated. "Good talk."

Without waiting for Roll's response, he turns to (flee) walk away.

And then because he can't just leave it as is, Zero turns around and adds, "If you want some extra tips for beating Layer, I can help."

Roll blinks. Zero watches the child's eyes flicker behind him, towards the gossipmongers, before settling into a small smile. "I would like that, Commander Zero."

"Zero, just Zero." Zero corrects, smirk pulling at the edge of his mouth. "I can't have people usurping my position as your teacher."

Roll laughs. "Of course, Zero."

-ooo-

Axl freezes, Rock on the other side of the hallway, holding what looks like the insides of a reploid's main processor. The child doesn't notice him, plodding along past the corner, in an awful hurry towards what looks like the dorms.

It's after hours (of course it is) and is the boy stealing parts? Did he kidnap someone piece by piece? Had Axl been watching a slow murder this whole time?

Worried now, Axl focuses all his stealth abilities into following the child unit. For all of Rock's suspicious activity, the boy hardly looks back at all, simply making as much speed as he can towards his shared rooms with his sister, absently patting the discombobulated reploid's processor like a dear pet or friend. He doesn't even check the halls before he goes into his room, Axl's sensors picking up the faint traces of radiation when the door opens.

He waits a few moments after Rock has disappeared into the room before letting himself down from the ceiling. Alpha radiation? Was the kid running a nuclear generator in there? A bomb?! Axl jiggles a knee, torn between storming the dorm and running to find X or Zero.

On one hand, he could probably take Rock and Roll himself. He's a S-class hunter for a reason! On the other, this was Rock and Roll. They were basically the Hunters' pets for how much the base fawned over them, X and Zero included.

Reconnaissance, Axl concludes, is what he needs. He'll get a look in through the outside window at their room first. Maybe crawl in through the vents. He could –

"Axl?"

Before Axl can as so much scream or aim his pistols, a terrifyingly familiar broom sweeps him into the room. The door closes behind him and locks with a quiet beep, and very suddenly Axl is facing a stern Roll and a guilty looking Rock.

"Aha, hi?" Axl tries, waving a pistol at them. Roll frowns, face twisting into a sad expression, while Rock shifts from foot to foot, awkward.

When it looks like neither of them are going to attempt murder at being caught, Axl carefully scans the room. There are trace remains of gamma radiation all over the place, though it looks like there were attempts at snuffing some of it out. The curtains are closed along all of the windows, and the room itself is surprisingly messy for all of Roll's cleanliness. Parts litter the floor and provided generic Hunter dorm furniture, though the longer Axl stares at the layout of the clutter, the more it looks deliberate.

The processor Rock had been carrying lies in the middle of the room, plugged into the wall with a thick cable. What looks like a reploid's torso sits right next to it, the most complete bit of work amongst the other parts.

Parts of a reploid, Axl realizes with a start, the pieces along the floor an incomplete jigsaw of the dissected inners of a humanoid robot.

"Now you know what I've been doing." Rock says at length, smiling awkwardly. The boy scuffs a toe against the tiled floor, chastised before Axl has even said anything. Roll stands beside him, hands curled along her broom defensively.

"Er, what exactly is this all supposed to be?" Axl asks, lost at the guilt pouring out of the two children. He'd expected to be _attacked_ , not – not whatever these two are awaiting. Punishment? "Are you _making_ someone?" A new sibling? Is that how these two work? They just – just _make_ each other?

Rock smiles crookedly, "Fixing someone," he corrects, moving to pick up one of the metal bits decorating the floor. It's a helmet, painted red, with a black visor along the front. It's swaddled in a faded yellow scarf, and Axl is hit with the impression of a memento. "Sorry; we've been borrowing bits and pieces for Blues, but he's been so badly damaged – " The boy cuts off with a hiccup, looking miserable.

Axl frowns. "You could bring him to Lifesaver – or even Douglass. Any of the med staff, really. They could help."

Roll shakes her head, frowning. "Blues wouldn't have wanted – he doesn't like to be handled by others. He didn't even like us helping him…." The child trails off biting a lip.

"And Blues is a bit different from the typical reploid," Rock adds, "He's a… very particular model."

Right, they're customized reploids, Axl remembers. Built by an independent engineer who died or something.

Axl squints at the two children, who shuffle uncertainly under his stare. This isn't… really them doing anything wrong – except filching extra parts for this Blues reploid, but Axl isn't particularly concerned about that aspect. Reploids in the Hunter profession switch out parts so often very few are left with whatever original limbs they came in with. A few going missing were hardly going to be missed.

He really should take this to X. He'd know what to do about this. But…. "I won't tell anyone." Axl decides aloud, crossing his arms. He grins at the two reploids, taking in their twin looks of surprise and hope. "But!" he adds, "You have to introduce me to this Blues of yours when he wakes up, okay?"

Not all reploids came back okay when put back together. Their personality might change, their memories corrupted. Some went Irregular altogether, infected by a faulty part.

Unaware of Axl's grim reasoning, Rock and Roll nod exuberantly. "Deal!" Rock agrees, all too willing.

Axl smiles and pats the two on the head.

* * *

Apparently I'm only capable in writing in bursts and fits. I've already written three chapters today.

I'll try to pace the updates? Or something? Plot is actually making its way through the story now and. Ugh. This isn't how it was meant to go.

Sorry about the whiplash mood of the story. Let me know if you guys feel like I'm seesawing too fast between tones.


	11. Chapter 10

"What do you mean I'm put off active duty?!" Axl cries, stomping his palms against Signas' desk. It's unfair! What did he do?!

Signas sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your recent medical scans showed up with something in your firewalls, Axl. We can't send you into virus infected areas with a security breech like that."

Axl gapes, wondering if he's hearing things correctly. "I – I'm a new generation reploid! I can't even get infected!" They'd gone over this! They knew he couldn't – he pauses. "Is this about that thing with Lumine again?" Axl demands, teeth clenched. "I thought I was cleared after Lifesaver found nothing after a gazillion scans. I'm fine!"

Signas stares him down over knitted fingers, "This is standard precaution, Axl. It'll only be for a short time while Lifesaver and Douglass go over the results again."

"So forever, then." Axl sighs, slumping. A thought occurs to him. "… And where are X and Zero? Usually they're the ones telling these things to me." His eyes narrow as Signas shifts uncomfortably. "Don't tell me – "

"They're off on assignment," his commander admits, hardly apologetic. "It's nothing exciting I promise you, Axl. They're overseeing the excavation of some old sites where there's a threat of the Virus floating around."

Oh, gross. Guard duty. "Still! Unbelievable! I'm being mistreated here!" Axl whines out of compulsion.

"It's for your health, Axl." Signas says. "No exceptions."

Axl groans.

-ooo-

X stops fielding Axl's calls after the tenth repetition of "I can't believe you!" and "Friendship over!" blearing through his comms. Zero blocks Axl's IP entirely.

They're out in the wastelands without their units, the risk of Irregular infection too high for normal reploids. Even the archeologists and TV crew are entirely human, toiling away with old fashioned digging equipment and radiation resistant suits. X and Zero take turns keeping watch and being a stand-in construction crew, lifting heavier objects out of the way and gingerly stepping around corded off pit holes.

All in all, a thankless job, made worse by the heat cranking up the humans' tempers and impatience.

X wants nothing more than to talk to some of the archeologists, but he's on duty. He can't be slacking off, despite Zero's offer to shoulder more of the weight.

The site they stand guard over surrounds a skull shaped fortress, the subject of this season's "Mysteries of 20XX," and X itches for a chance to look inside.

Crushing the juvenile urge to crane his head towards the slowly exposed mouth of the "skull," X scans along the plains surrounding them, trying to imagine what the place used to look like before decades of irradiation and Irregular Wars. A dried up basin suggests a lake, but whether it had dried up in this century or the last is up to debate. The place might have even been green, X thinks, considering the longitude and latitude.

The stark dessert of a long gone oasis soaks his optics, and X sighs.

They're too far out from major urban centers to really run into Irregulars, and yet the Virus fogs the sky like an angry swarm, looking for a stray reploid to feast upon.

Zero, from the other side of the encampment, stalks around like a paranoid and particularly twitchy cat. His partner has been on guard ever since they arrived on the area, and X isn't certain if it's the Virus or something else getting to the Hunter.

A metallic building made in the image of a human skull, though. It figures it'd be something like this to survive from the 20XX era.

X watches as Zero perks up, his entire body stiffening as he looks at a corner of the camp. He frowns, hand coming up automatically to his ear as he comms Zero. "Zero, is something the matter?" X asks, optics already zooming in towards the direction Zero focuses on. A short hill and boulders obscure the most of his vision, and he frowns. "Did you see something?"

A pause, before Zero responds, "… No. I thought I sensed movement, but there's nothing but shadows." The reploid says wryly. "The heat's messing with my sensors – everything looks like it's ready to jump out and attack."

That much is true. With the radiation and heat, X has been resorting to plain old light vision to see. "There's not much we can do about that until night hits." X says, smiling. "I did send you my optical settings to compensate, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but there's only so much you can filter out." Zero sighs. "And here I thought we'd get a relaxing job for once."

The tone, while flat, is almost a full on whine by Zero's standards. X grins. "One week, Zero. We're almost there."

"Yeah. Just 9300 more minutes to go." Zero quips and shuts the comm off.

X snorts and shakes his head. Always the optimistic one, that Zero.

-ooo-

Zero stands on the side of the encampment furthest from the slumbering humans, holding an E-can like a ticking bomb.

"Gospel," He calls, his voice a hissing whisper. Paranoid, he checks again to make sure X isn't in the area. When no stomps of an armored boot sounds through the sands, Zero tries, "Heeeere buddy!" shaking the E-can out to slosh its contents.

The wind whistles past, taunting him.

He could have sworn he'd seen the purple of the wolf mechaniloid earlier. He'd worried that it would be infected with something by now, but it had simply leveled a glare at Zero before stalking off into the shadows.

What it was doing out here instead of at base was a mystery, but Zero felt obligated to at least attempt to corral it and send it back to Rock. The boy must be beside himself.

"Gospel!" Zero tries, voice rising to a half shout. He grips the E-can more firmly and shakes it with his entire arm, hoping to elicit a response.

Silence. The feeling of being ridiculed increases.

Sighing, Zero crouches into a ball of self-doubt. What did wolf mechaniloids even like? Maybe he needs dog treats? Meat?

The thought of holding a blood-dripping slab of flesh sends an uncomfortable shiver through Zero. Organics were so gross.

Suddenly Zero's comm crackles to life, startling the Hunter onto his feet. "Zero!" X's voice echoes through his helm, sounding harried. "What was Rock's pet's name again?" A growl follow's X's statement with a, "Shh boy!" and Zero closes his eyes.

Of course.

-ooo-

"Gospel, sit." X orders, E-can perched on his open palm.

The wolf, the little shit, twirls, its tail smacking Zero's shin, and obediently flops its behind onto the ground. It gives a pointed glance at the can in X's hand, and thumps its tail when X obliges the unsaid request.

Zero glares at it, scooting out of tail reach. Gospel doesn't deem him a glance as it takes the E-can and crushes it in its mouth, whole.

X pets the miscreant, a praise on his lips. "Good boy!" He coos, scratching behind metallic ears.

"X," Zero snaps, more irritated at the scene than he really should be, "What is Gospel doing here?" And what are you doing? Zero doesn't voice.

X smiles sheepishly. "I don't actually know. I found him digging in the pits, scaring some of the researchers. He doesn't seem like he's infected." He adds, frowning. "I ran a scan past him to be sure, but there's nothing. Not even a residual."

"He's resistant?" Zero blurts, incredulous. Millions of susceptible reploids, and it's a mechaniloid with the basic AI of a house pet that's immune? He isn't sure if he should cry or laugh.

"I'm not sure," X replies patiently. "But at the very least, we can count it a good thing."

Gospel growls and snuffs X's hand when the reploid stops petting. X continues, not even looking down at the mechaniloid.

"I'll call Rock," Zero says at length. "The kid should know where his wayward dog has gotten to."

Gospel snaps his jaws in Zero's direction.

"And demand he get a leash or something." Zero adds, grumbling as he dials up Hunter HQ.

X grins.

-ooo-

"Oh," Rock says, sounding entirely unsurprised. "He's where?"

Zero grimaces. "At an excavation site – Rock, if you want to keep a pet, you really need to keep an eye on it!" He reprimands, channeling as much of X as he can. "He's your responsibility."

"Sorry," Rock replies, sounding at least a little chastised. Good. "Can I talk to Gospel?" The boy asks, and Zero stares, dumbfounded.

"Uh," he manages after a moment, "Sure?" Uncertainly, Zero sets his camera to face outwards and crouches down in front of the wolf, feeling silly. It feels rather unsafe, keeping his arm so close to the mechaniloid's muzzle.

"Hey Gospel," Rock greets cheerfully.

The wolf howls back. X smothers his mouth with his fist from the side. Zero turns his head at the reploid in dismay.

"Did you find anything?" Rock asks, moving to the side as Roll comes into view as well. "You're not hurt, are you?" Roll adds, eyebrows crinkled in worry.

Gospel snorts, shaking its head. It turns around, huffing in the direction of the archeological dig site, and Zero watches as an inverted Rock nods.

"Okay. Be careful, alright? Let us know if you need help." Rock says. Roll nods vigorously beside her brother. "X, Zero, Gospel is going to stay there a little longer. He's looking for something." Rock explains, and Zero turns the camera back around to show the disbelieving face he makes at the statement.

X comes up behind Zero and crouches down to get into the picture. "Rock, this isn't a safe place for him to be. We're sending him back."

Zero, now stuck lying down on the ground to accommodate X, grunts. "X is right, kid. We're on duty. We can't watch Gospel 24/7."

"You don't have to," Roll says, pleading starting to bleed into her eyes. Zero can't look away. "Gospel can handle himself – if not, we can be there in a jiffy." Bright blue, round eyes beseech him, and Zero grimaces.

"You can't come here," X says, the stern voice of reason. "There's a reason only Zero and I are here, Roll. It's dangerous." Discussion over.

Zero silently applauds X's steel will.

"X – " Rock starts.

"How come you're not responding to my calls?!" Axl screeches, bounding into view behind Rock and Roll. The two are pushed aside as the taller reploid fills up the screen, shaking the camera on their side.

The call dissolves into a jumble of "Axl!" and "Alia don't you dare hang up – " and with a click, Zero closes the communicator, thankful for the disruption.

"That went well." Zero says at length, and X snorts.

Picking himself off the dusty ground, Zero works on patting as much sand off, when X asks. "Zero, did you see where Gospel went?"

Zero pauses. "What?" He swivels his head around, scanning for the dark purple mechaniloid, but it's useless. The dark color of the wolf's armor blends into the night and infrared shows nothing except the blips of human figures in the camp nearby.

"I'll go get an E-can." X announces, tired.

Zero groans.

* * *

Plot? What is that.

I'm starting to run out of hands to hold all these plot strands. That's probably not the correct idiom.


End file.
